It was a dynamic, fun packed day on IFA Paris' Parisian campus, working with Chinese make-up artists on the fundamentals of Creative Direction.

What lies behind the glamour of Creative Direction? In this practical training course students are invited to work collaboratively to understand the interlocking of conceptual and practical roles involved in commissioning, styling and executing a fashion shoot. The mix between practice-based and theoretical modules will bring a new vantage point to the study and appreciation of fashion in negotiating the best from designers, models, make-up and hair as well as fashion stylists according to a planned and flexible concept.

IFA Paris and MAKE UP FOR EVER, two of the most renowned French institutions in their specific industries, have created this exclusive joint course to give its participants the possibility to experience the work of a Creative Director in real-life settings. The training itself is built around 3 pillars:

1. An introduction to Fashion Design, to provide participants with an understanding of the overarching principles behind the development of a fashion house’s positioning2. An introduction to make-up techniques, to illustrate the main components behind the process of a successful and cohesive creation and understand how the basic technics are reshaped into a trendy make-up3. An introduction to fashion photography, to explore the main techniques behind the organization of a fashion photo-shoot. Participants will learn how to organize and coordinate their own shoots, select the best possible make-up to convey what is illustrated by their creative brief, find locations and styling methods to produce a body of work that can then be edited and presented to a peer group for critique. The usage of SLR digital cameras in both outdoor and studio will also be detailed to the participants so that they acquire a sufficient theoretical knowledge necessary to provide creative directions for a shoot. In particular, they will be shown the basics of how to use and specify camera techniques, lighting, ambience and finishing.

On completion of the training participants will organize their own fashion shoot and will be given the opportunity to include it in their personal portfolio as a momentum of their learning experience.

Teaching and Learning Strategy:This course is based on a balanced mix between theoretical modules, workshops and practices. The overarching idea across all the components is to improve participants’ awareness and improve their overall creativity so that they can produce the most impacting, unique and coherent series of imagery

Award/Certificate:Private Professional Training Certificate jointly delivered by IFA Paris and Make Up For Ever

Throughout history, in public situations, dress has had more than a protective function. It is a principal means of identifying the status of others and positioning oneself in the culture. Many aspects of identity: age, ethnicity, gender and sexuality, class, work occupation and rank, level of earnings, religious beliefs and political affiliations are signaled silently by clothing, fashionable adornments and bodily expression and grooming. During the Fashion Culture module the students will learn about dominant and sub-cultures and their attitudes to dress and behavior in society at specific moments or places. In addition, a section of the module will be carved out in order to introduce the students to the history of make-up as an introduction for the Make-up Forever part of the course.

Day 2 - Trend Workshop – 6 Hours

The future is important to everyone. The forecasting business has become a large and significant industry for decision-making and success in discerning trends that can be worthwhile to support. This module sets out to explain the issues through case studies and game-changer situations, demonstrates the communication tools and approaches that are used by the fashion industry to evaluate opportunities, threats and new styles and influences. It summarizes the theories of demand and forces of change, the best practices and the critical analyses needed to determine worthwhile investments. By the end of the study the student should have a good understanding of the occasions and need for research and market intelligence research methods for gaining insight into important trend scenarios and useful competitive perspectives.

Day 3 - Garment & Composition – 6 Hours

During this module students will be introduced to the category types and names of various sorts of clothing, styles and materials used for men's women's and children's wear and for sportswear, knitwear and lingerie. You will learn how the technical production and parameters of clothing differ and require careful specification and controls during manufacturing for costs their social uses and sometimes for legal reasons. You will appreciate the key points where garments may differ in silhouette and details for occasion, fashion, size or other reasons. You will deepen your appreciation of the variety of elements involved in clothing production.

Day 4 - Creating a Make-Up Design based on the brief of an Artistic Director

The objective of this module is to understand how to develop one’s creativity while following a creative framework as communicated by an Artistic Director. After following an extensive demonstration of techniques such as brush strokes, shadings, graphic lines…etc Students will practice in groups of 2 under the supervision of a chief make-up artist

Day 5 - Styling Workshop – 6 Hours

In this interactive workshop students will be given a creative brief and assigned a specific silhouette, a theme and a trend report. They will need to mobilize the competencies and skills acquired in the previous fashion related modules in order to construct 3 specific styles illustrating the directives proposed by the creative brief. In order to construct their styles students will have at their disposal outfits previously developed by the students of IFA Paris.

NB: Starting from Day 1 the students will be given them the theme of the artistic visual and editorial line that they will need to develop as their final project. Therefore this will be an overarching assessment that will be transversal (ie cross modules)

Day 6 - The Fashion Press – 6 Hours

This module introduces you to the story of the glossy fashion magazine: the publishers, personalities and jobs behind the covers and the deadlines. The hierarchy of editorial boards, the editor, art director, layout design, images and contributors and an awareness of the importance of press roles: fashion news, journalism, advertising, syndication, distribution, subscription and costs and technological production issues are aspects of contemporary publications that will enable you to contribute proactively and responsibly within various genres and disciplines of the global fashion media industries. You will gain valuable practice at analysing mastheads and copy, writing your own and role-playing and constructing magazine features. The module brings you up to the moment with the current diversification efforts of the glossy press into online delivery and their global media competitors and allies, issues of moral responsibility, audience contribution and the internationalisation of titles and consumer values.

Day 7 – Crafting a Visual Editorial Concept

This module will give participants the opportunity to see how a shoot is done with the presence of the different stakeholders: make-up artist, hair dresser, stylist and photographer.

In anticipation of this module students will be asked to do a research and develop an inspiration board as well as a brief for the make-up artist on set.

They will first observe how the main stakeholders interact with each other in the concept of a predefined case study. Then they will need to take over as Artistic Director as mock-up for their final presentation.

Day 8 - Shoot, Review, Retouch – 6 Hours

In this module participants will discover the principles behind the proper handling of an SLR Digital Camera with the help of a professional photographer. After a theoretical introduction of the optical components and shutter mechanisms of a single reflex camera, participants will focus on the coordination of the use of the camera with the different types of lightings utilized by professional photographers. During the follow-up sessions a graphic design lecturer will introduce the students to basic functionalities of the Adobe Suite with a particular emphasis on Photoshop

Day 9 - IN&OUT Shooting – 6 Hours

Understanding how a camera function is important but nothing is as essential as the real practice. IN&OUT Shooting gives the trainees the opportunity to practice what they have learnt by exercising their talents as photographers. The module will be split into 2 sessions:

Indoor Shooting, to understand the components of a photoshoot done in a studio environment

Outdoor Shooting, to discover the complexity of light adjustment and complexion enhancement when dealing with factors outside of the photographer’s control

Day 10 - The Mode Challenge – 8 Hours (Done with Make Up Forever Academy)

The culmination of the training will be reached through entering the participants in our own mode challenge. They will devise their own creative brief and implement each component of a fashion shoot as follows:

Presentation of a brief digital mood-board reflecting the theme chosen

Selection of outfits in accordance with the theme developed

Development of a specific make-up style to be personally executed on the model assigned

Provide the photographer creative directions in order to complete a fashion shoot of the selected outfits

The Challenge will end with individual debriefs given by each instructor participating in the training.

Learning Objectives:

Understand the role and responsibilities of a stylist, make-up artist and Artistic Director

Create a body of photographic work (portfolio) for display and critique

Recommended level of English is IELTS 5.5 (to fully understand and follow the course). The IELTS certificate is not required, but we just want to be certain that you will be able to comprehend the course.